Blog Archives

Microfinance’s Risky Lending Is a Safe Bet

The following post by Kadita “A.T.” Tshibaka, on our Board of Directors, was originally published on The Huffington Post. As I look at the microfinance industry globally, I’m encouraged by the trends and the progress we’ve achieved so far. Whether you search in Wikipedia, CGAP or MIX Market, whatever the source of the data and Read more…

Posted in Agricultural Finance, Bank Building, Education, In the News, Loans, Local Staffing, Microinsurance, Our Leadership, Our Method, Our Mission and Vision, Our Motivation, Our Work, Resources, Savings, Technology, Training, What We're Reading
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A Better Future for the Congo: Developing the Next Generation of Congolese Fathers

The following post by Kadita “A.T.” Tshibaka, member of Opportunity’s , was originally published in The Huffington Post on Friday, June 15.  The original post is here.  My greatest challenge as a father has been the moments of terror when my children were gravely ill, and we thought we were going to lose them. It happened with Read more…

Posted in Events, Our Leadership, Our Mission and Vision, Our Motivation, What We're Reading, Where We Work
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What We’re Reading: “Tapping into the Potential of the Unbanked in the DRC”

This post, “Tapping into the Potential of the Unbanked in the DRC,” was originally published Wednesday morning on ACCION International‘s Center for Financial Inclusion Blog, written by Kadita Tshibaka, a member of ‘s . Kadita was born and raised in the Democratic Republic of the Congo, and spent 33 years working around the world in Read more…

Posted in Loans, Our Leadership, Our Work, Savings, What We're Reading, Where We Work
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Conference LiveBlog: Conference Opens with Kadita “A.T.” Tshibaka, Board of Directors

The 2011 Opportunity International Conference“Innovating to End Poverty,” kicks off just moments ago with opening remarks from Lillian Covington, VP of Resource Development, and our CEO Bill Morgenstern, who welcomed attendees. Throughout the weekend, we’ll be streaming live video of plenary sessions and breakout sessions at the conference. Watch it live at opportunity.org/live. Welcoming attendees to Read more…

Posted in Events, Microfinance Conference, Our Leadership, Where We Work
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What We’re Watching: Banking on Education Video by Students of the World at CGI 2011

We’re watching this video produced in partnership with Students of the World, which had its world premiere on the main stage at this year’s CGI. In it, Opportunity staff and clients discuss the goals and the impact of our Banking on Education program, which provides , and to 280 schools serving 120,000 students in Malawi, Uganda and Read more…

Posted in Events, Loans, Local Staffing, Microfinance Conference, Our Work, Resources, Savings, Training, Where We Work
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What We’re Watching: Today’s Grand Opening of Opportunity DR Congo in Kinshasa

Opportunity International staff around the world have been eagerly watching our Facebook and the Opportunity Blog all day, keeping up with news and updates from today’s grand opening ceremony at Opportunity Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) in Kinshasa. Presenters at the celebration and ribbon cutting ceremony included Opportunity DRC CEO Gilbert Lagaillarde; Opportunity International US Read more…

Posted in Bank Building, Events, Loans, Local Staffing, Our Leadership, Our Mission and Vision, Our Work, Where We Work
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Grand Opening Today of Opportunity DR Congo: Expanding Microfinance to One of World’s Most Impoverished Countries

Today at 10:00 a.m. local time, Opportunity International celebrated the grand opening of Opportunity Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) in the capital city of Kinshasa, expanding our network of microfinance institutions to the Congo. The grand opening ceremony was attended by local government officials and dignitaries, Opportunity representatives from the DRC and the United States, as Read more…

Posted in Bank Building, Events, Loans, Local Staffing, Our Leadership, Our Mission and Vision, Our Motivation, Our Work, Where We Work
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Women of the Congo: Bringing Hope through Microfinance

“It is a war that men have provoked, but women have paid the highest price.” These are the words of a UN peacekeeper in Lisa Jackson’s award-winning documentary, The Greatest Silence: Rape in the Congo, a film about the violence and violation faced by women living in the war-torn eastern region of the Democratic Republic Read more…

Posted in Our Leadership, Our Mission and Vision, Our Motivation, Our Work, Women's Opportunity Network
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Emerging Market Risks and Rewards

Last night, Opportunity International Board Member Kadita “A.T.” Tshibaka spoke to a distinguished audience of almost 100 business leaders and students at an event hosted by the University of Toronto’s Rotman School of Management (watch the video here). Kadita offered up a few things he had learned during his life growing up in the Congo, Read more…

Posted in Our Leadership, Our Mission and Vision, Our Motivation, Our Work
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Opportunity CEO Advocates Bottom-up Approach to Economic Development

In a speech on Thursday October 29th to the Phoenix Committee on Foreign Relations, Opportunity CEO Kadita “A.T.” Tshibaka cited many things he learned while working in emerging markets at Citibank and Lloyds TSB Group for over 35 years.  One is that a bottom-up approach to economic development is generally the most effective. Kadita said, “We cannot Read more…

Posted in Our Leadership, Our Work, Rural Outreach
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